St. Louis County Man Indicted on Fraud Charges

St. Louis County Man Indicted on Fraud Charges

ST. LOUIS, MO—Mark Kistler, 46, of St. Louis County, was indicted today for a bank fraud in connection with the financial exploitation of an elderly person.

According to the indictment, Kistler met the victim, identified as N.W., who was a patient at his father’s medical practice. Kistler initially did errands and jobs for N.W. and eventually began to pressure N.W. to give him money. Between 2007 and 2011, Kistler, with the help of his mother and two girlfriends, is alleged to have taken more than $200,000 from N.W. and continues to live rent free in a St. Louis county house purchased with N.W.’s funds and titled in his mother’s name.

The bank fraud is alleged to have involved arrangement of a straw purchase of a St. Louis city house using N.W.’s funds, The mother of Kistler’s then-girlfriend is alleged to have been recruited as the straw buyer or nominal buyer of the property because Kistler and his girlfriend had poor credit. When Kistler and his girlfriend stopped making payments on the property, the house was foreclosed upon and the lender suffered a $92,000 loss.

If convicted, bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or fines up to $1 million. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

Additionally, restitution will be sought for N.W. and the victim financial institution.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in cooperation with the Missouri Secretary of State Securities Enforcement Section which is pursuing a civil enforcement action against Kistler. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Albus is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.